Nick Daicos celebrates a goal during Collingwood's qualifying final against Adelaide in 2025 and (inset) the new-look AFL Fantasy Classic platform. Pictures: AFL Photos

STRAP yourselves in, Fantasy coaches! AFL Fantasy Classic is set to make its triumphant return for the 2026 season - and believe us when we say, this is not your average comeback.

The footy world's favourite stats-based obsession is taking a little extra time off over summer, but for all the right reasons. Here's the inside scoop on what's coming, when it's coming, and why you'll want to clear your calendar for January (not December)!

Why the wait? A new platform, new features, new vibes

Let's address the elephant in the room: No, you won't be able to start picking your team in December this year. Instead, AFL Fantasy Classic 2026 will be launching later in January. Why? The Fantasy boffins are hard at work building a brand new platform loaded with fresh features, smoother gameplay, and more fun than ever before. Think of it as a pre-season training camp - the extra prep means a better Fantasy season for everyone!

What's new? The 2026 feature line-up

We know you're here for the juicy stuff, so let's dive into the headline acts and coolest tweaks coming to your Fantasy experience:

  • Triple-position players (TPP): There's nothing more annoying than a player already having DPP status before playing in a completely new position (Ryan Maric and Caleb Daniel, we're looking at you). Now, provided they pass the Champion Data threshold, they'll be eligible for a third position during our allotted position update periods.
  • Improved trade flows: This was the biggest focus this off-season. Editing trade flows now works no matter how many DPP/TPP swaps you made in your original trade and how they interact with the utility position. You can trade directly from the 'My Team' page if that is preferable to you.
  • TOG threshold rule: If one of your on-field players plays less than 50 per cent of game time, your emergency (as long as they score higher) will swoop in to save your round. No more heartbreak from early injuries!
  • Introducing 'Foes': Want to keep a close eye on your friends or others from the Fantasy Community but can't join a league with them? No problem! You can select any teams you want to be in your 'Foes' section and track their performances each week.
  • Comparisons to the best: Ever wondered how you stack up against the Fantasy elite? Now you'll see comparisons to the top 1 per cent, 5 per cent, and more so you can see which players are bringing the most success to their teams!
  • Live round benchmarking: Track your performance live, with real-time comparisons to the top 100 and top 1000 coaches each round. Never lose sight of how far you are off the pace in a given round.
  • Ranking icons: Finished in the top 100 before? The famous Fantasy hat icon will now remain with you for all to see on the rankings page!
  • Curated stats: The 'My Team' page and Stats Centre are now fully customisable. Choose the individual stats you want to see, not just broad categories - it's your team, your way.
  • Opponent view: The match-ups page will now clearly show a placeholder for traded-in players that are yet to play, so no more surprises on game day.
  • Trade history insights: Track your trades like a pro, including detailed breakdowns of how each player has performed since joining your squad.
  • Improved league history: Relive the glory (or heartbreak) with access to previous winners, ladders, and results from your league's past seasons.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg! The 2026 season will also roll out a heap of smaller tweaks and additions, all inspired by your feedback. From snappier interfaces to little quality-of-life boosts, it's all about making Fantasy more fun, fair, and fiercely competitive.

The countdown is on!

While you won't be able to jump in before the year's out, the extra wait in January guarantees a smoother, more exciting and more personalised AFL Fantasy Classic than ever before. So, spend December enjoying your holidays - then get ready to build your dream team when the new platform launches in the new year.

FANTASY LATEST Tips, strategy, draft, podcasts, more

Stay tuned for more updates, official launch dates, and sneak peeks at the new features. AFL Fantasy Classic 2026 is shaping up to be an absolute cracker - and we can't wait to see who rises to the top!

See you on the field (and in the trade room) soon, coaches!

Matt Jeffries is the AFL Fantasy Product Lead.